The present technology relates to a three-dimensional modeling apparatus configured to produce a three-dimensional object with use of a material to be cured by an energy beam such as light, a model produced with the three-dimensional modeling apparatus, and a method of manufacturing a model.
In related art, a modeling apparatus which produces a three-dimensional model has been known as an apparatus of rapid prototyping, and widely used for business purposes. Generally, the three-dimensional modeling apparatus produces a model on a layer-by-layer basis based on shape data of each predetermined thickness of an object to be modeled, in other words, shape data of each layer.
As an example of a main method of the three-dimensional modeling apparatus, there is stereolithography in which a photo-curable resin is partially selectively irradiated with a laser beam so that a desired part of the resin is cured and rendered, to thereby produce a model.
The stereolithography includes a free liquid surface method and a regulated liquid surface method, for example. In the free liquid surface method, under a state in which a liquid surface of the photo-curable resin is exposed to the air, rendering is performed by focusing the laser beam on an interface between the air and the liquid surface. The free liquid surface method involves a problem that stacking accuracy of the resin (accuracy of a thickness for each layer and accuracy of a surface condition of the resin for each layer) is influenced by surface accuracy of the liquid surface.
In terms of this, in the regulated liquid surface method, under a state in which the liquid surface of the photo-curable resin is regulated, for example, by a flat glass surface, rendering is performed by focusing the laser beam through the glass onto an interface between the liquid surface and the glass surface.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-137048 (hereinafter, referred to as Patent Document 1) discloses a stereolithographic apparatus employing the regulated liquid surface method. The stereolithographic apparatus includes a position regulating mechanism configured to prevent deflection of the glass and maintain the glass to be flat (for example, paragraph [0077] of the description and FIGS. 7 to 10 of Patent Document 1).